In the Footsteps of the Rich and Famous
7 марта 2020 г., Куба ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
I have stayed in some pretty incredible hotels over the years, but the Hotel Nacional de Cuba will certainly go down as one of the most memorable. This opulent hotel was opened in 1930 and soon become the place where the rich and famous of the world always stayed when they were in Cuba.
The list of previous guests includes a huge cavalcade of famous names - Nat King Cole, Winston Churchill, Jimmy Carter, Frank Sinatra, Josephine Baker are just a few of the images I noticed while walking the halls. The Nacional Hotel was also the preferred place for notorious gangsters and Mafia heads as well. It is one of those buildings where every doorway could tell a story.
Even though those grand days are now well past, the place is still imposing. It has recently undergone a refurbishment and the rooms are certainly comfortable and spacious. Even more importantly the wifi works in every room.
The hotel seems to have an inordinate number of immaculately dressed staff. It almost feels like there is one staff member for each guest. The place is also liberally stocked with wandering musicians and singers. You cannot go far without hearing live music.
Behind the hotel there are a series of constructions that give an insight into those notorious days in 1962 when the world nearly descended into nuclear war. It is interesting to hear the story told from the Cuban side as most westerners would only be familiar with the commonly accepted narrative of events.
I began the day with breakfast, followed by a fascinating tour of the hotel. At noon I ventured out into the nearby streets in search of lunch, but ended up returning to the hotel empty stomached. At least the hotel is liberally catered for.
Since I am still operating from a state of sleep deprivation, I then returned to my room for a siesta. When I opened my eyes it was after 5 pm ! The best sleep I have had for days.
All members of our team have now arrived at the hotel, and in the evening we shared our first meal together in a cafe in the garden of the hotel. Overhead the full moon was shining brightly and we could hear the sounds of the large waves crashing onto the rocks nearby. The food itself was rather disappointing, but the ambiance was amazing.
Tomorrow we begin our first day of cycling in Havana.Читать далее
The Night Plane to Havana
7 марта 2020 г., Куба ⋅ 🌙 21 °C
Today was always going to be a bit messy. The problem was that my flight from Toronto to Havana was not due to leave till around 8.30 pm in the evening. "So what ?", you may well ask. The complicating factor was that I was supposed to be checking out of my apartment at 10 am in the morning, so what was I going to do with all those spare hours ?
The singularly unhelpful concierge had already told me that there was nowhere I could leave my luggage. At least I thought I could spend a couple of hours sitting in the lobby before my taxi arrived to take me to the airport. That was about as much of a plan I had been able to come up with.
Unlike the beautiful blue skies of the previous day, I awoke to a leaden cloud cover. On closer look I could see that there were intermittent flurries of snow falling. It was quite spellbinding to watch.
After making myself my final breakfast in Toronto, I sat by the window and spent some time watching the falling snow gradually build up on the branches of the trees. Although I was supposed to check out at 10 am, there was no point in being too early. I needed to steal every hour I could.
By 11 am I thought that I could stretch the matter no further, collected my luggage and made my way down to the foyer. I found a quiet corner, opened my computer and started watching a movie. It did not take long for my favourite concierge to come over and ask what I thought I was doing. Of course I told him I was waiting for my taxi. Since no one else needed my seat, I could not see that there was a problem. Of course I was wrong.
"This is not a hotel", he repeated his now familiar refrain. "You will have to go". While I could have been confrontational and reminded him that it WAS snowing outside, I really had had enough of the pathetic little weasel. He obviously thought that being a concierge was only a step or two below being the Prime Minister, so I decided to pack my stuff as slowly as I possibly could and then roll my way out of the building for the very last time.
Fortunately there was a very warm shopping centre just across the road, so that is where I went. I purchased a coffee, found a spare table and made it my home. My taxi was due at 1 pm, but did not arrive till 1.30 pm. I had spent the missing thirty minutes waiting in the doorway, while the cold was slowly permeating into every corner of my body. We just don't know what cold is in Australia, but I should have been grateful it was only about -3 C. Last year at this time it was apparently -26 C.
Alex and I continued our discussions about the cricket all the way to the airport. I completed the self check in without incident and made my way through security and immigration. Another very long wait at the departure gate. Outside the snow was still falling. The time passed slowly. I continued watching my movie.
The time for boarding finally arrived and we all jammed into the modest plane. There was not a spare seat in sight, but it was only a rather modest three and a half hours, so I did not really care.
I was seated by a window which gave me a great view of the never ending succession of brightly lit cities we passed over as we flew over the eastern states of the USA. The night was crystal clear, without a single cloud to obscure the view. In some ways there is something cosy and comforting about a night flight. At times I dozed. By almost midnight we started descending into Havana Airport and another adventure was about to begin.
As I retrieved my bag from the jammed overhead lockers, I noticed that my luggage label had somehow gone missing. I suppose I should be grateful if that was the only thing that went missing - I still had that anxious time of waiting to see if my main luggage would appear on the carousel.
Back in Australia we had all paid significant money to the Cuban Consulate for a visa to enter their country. You can imagine my surprise when the hostess walked around the plane, handing out blank tourist visa forms and telling us to fill them in ourselves ! It looked like we all may have wasted $100, but it would not have been worth the risk.
In spite of preliminary fears about the difficulties of entering the country, the immigration process was quick and easy. I was soon reunited with my luggage and went out the exit door into the unfamiliar world of Cuba. I had been told that a driver would be waiting for me (even though it was now about 12.30 in the morning).
Once again the arrangements went perfectly and soon I was being whisked along in the back seat of a comfortable taxi. Even at this late hour there were plenty of cars on the road and plenty of people wandering the streets. The temperature was a comfortable 22 C. It did not take long to see the old cars that Cuba is famous for. It was like being at some sort of a retro car show. Obviously they just never get junked, they just keep rolling along.
Our home for the next few days is the huge and very imposing Hotel Nacional de Cuba. This vast place was the place of choice for the rich and famous back in its heyday of the 30s and 40s. Even all these years later, it is still an impressive place. The foyer is massive and filled with colonial character. There was even a working lift !
I was relieved to discover that my allocated room was clean, huge and had fully working air conditioning. I think I will enjoy my time here, but my first thought was to head for the bed and finally get some sleep.Читать далее
A Striking Day in Toronto
5 марта 2020 г., Канада ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C
Since this was to be my last full day in Toronto, I really wanted to do something a little more ambitious. Whenever I find myself in a city that I have not visited before the first thing I like to do is walk. I don't usually have any set destination as it is the journey that I am interested in, not the end point. Today was my chance to really wander and see what makes Toronto tick.
Of course in order to be able to walk the streets, there was one important requirement I needed - fine weather. You can imagine my smile when I looked out of the apartment window at 6 am and saw that it was going to be a great day. In fact it already had the makings of the best day so far.
At about 8.30 am I set off. Although the sky was clear the temperature was bracing - hovering around 0 C. I was so glad that I had packed gloves and a beanie. I don't mind the cold air, but frozen ears and fingers are not much fun.
My only vague plan was to roughly set out in the direction of the rising sun. By watching the shadows on the footpath I knew that I was heading in the right direction. If I kept walking in that way I knew that it would take me through the centre of the city and eventually to the waterfront of Lake Ontario.
The first couple of km were familiar territory as I passed the Royal Ontario Museum and the University of Toronto. Ahead of me I could catch glimpses of the impressive CN tower. At over 550 metres in height, this building is apparently the tallest free standing concrete building in the world. I was glad that it gave me another place to aim for in my walk.
About one hour and 4.5 km later I was standing at the foot of the tower. It certainly was a spectacle and I suppose I could have spent some time travelling to its observation deck, but I was more interested in reaching the lake. When I arrived at the shore I discovered that almost everything was still closed for the winter. It was perfect as I had the whole place to myself.
I found a nice seat in the sunshine and watched the planes taking off from the small airport on Centre Island. Although the sunshine was warm, the air temperature was still low enough to ensure that the piles of snow scattered around were reluctant to melt.
Eventually I began heading away from the Lake in search of something for lunch. This turned out to be a rather greasy hamburger in a grossly over heated indoor food mall, followed by a very forgettable cup of coffee. I was glad to get back out into the cold again.
I soon saw a collection of police vehicles and flashing lights. Things started to get interesting. As I walked closer I could see that hundreds of people were marching with placards and angry chants. Most were wearing matching red beanies. Since I had nothing better to do, of course I joined in the march.
It did not take long to learn that most of the marchers were teachers who were on strike because of budget cuts that had been initiated by the new premier of Ontario Province. Since I was once a teacher in a previous life, I felt like I was in familiar company. They were happy to chat with me and tell me why they were so unhappy. Some things are the same the world over. It was also interesting that the, once popular and charismatic Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, now seems universally disliked.
My time with the strikers gave me a fascinating alternative insight into life in Toronto. But I was getting tired. After walking around 14 km I was ready to return to my apartment for a rest.
Tomorrow afternoon I will be catching a flight to Havana to begin the second part of my travels. It has been good to have time to myself but I am looking forward to meeting all the other members of our team and beginning our Cuban Adventure.Читать далее
Путешественникwe spent ages watching the planes on central island and have some great photos. safe travels and look forward to see you Sat morning. we have been cycling and swimming in cenotes and checking out some cultural ruins. keen to catch up with or amigos
Some Images of Niagara on the Lake
4 марта 2020 г., Канада ⋅ 🌙 1 °C
Here are some images of the delightful Niagara on the Lake that I could not fit in the previous footprint.
ПутешественникMarvellous photos Dennis!!---Winterscapes are often the best (says she who just returned from stunninglyly georgeus snow skiing 7 days in Japan!)
The World on Two WheelsIt is a lovely time to explore this part of the world. I am so glad that it is not the height of the tourist season.
A Day at the Falls
4 марта 2020 г., Канада ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C
I suspect that, if people were asked to nominate the most famous waterfall in the world, most would answer "Niagara Falls". The very name conjures up images of thundering white water and daredevils who risked their lives in search of fame and riches. When I realised that I would be spending time in Toronto, I quickly decided that the opportunity to visit such a famous location was just too good to miss.
Over the past few years I have had the opportunity to experience Iguassu Falls in South America and also Victoria Falls in Africa. Now I would have the chance to see for myself just how Niagara compared with these other two.
My day began with an early morning pickup near my hotel. When the sun rose it revealed a completely cloudless blue sky. Gone was the fine drizzle that had persisted for most of the previous day. The clear skies had sent the temperature even a little lower, so it was hovering just above 0 C as I waited for my bus to arrive. I watched a couple of frisky black squirrels hop about in the snow, but they would not stay still long enough for a good photo.
Although I normally avoid bus trips, in this case there was really no other convenient way for me to get from Toronto to Niagara. At least it was only a small bus and I was the first to board. I probably should not have been surprised to find that it was overheated inside, just like every other interior in the city.
After following a circuitous path through downtown Toronto we eventually finished with around 19 people who would be sharing the trip to Niagara with me. We later found out that one of these had actually gotten into the wrong bus. They had thought they they were catching a bus to a big mining conference which is also happening in the city, but it was too late for them to change their mind.
About 90 minutes later we were at the falls. The driver explained that we had around two and a half hours to explore the place before we were to be collected downriver. My first impressions were mixed. While there was no denying that it was an impressive sight, I would have to say that it came in a distinct third place behind Iguassu and Victoria.
The big advantage Niagara has is that it has been incorporated into some sort of giant theme park, complete with giant hotels, casinos, amusements and thrill seeker attractions. I was thrilled that the place was almost deserted. The combination of the winter off season and fear of the coronavirus had served to deter the throngs that apparently normally jam this place. I thought it was beautiful.
I was able to quietly wander alongside the falls without the fear of losing an eye to someone's wandering selfie stick. When I entered the large visitor centre there were no queues at the ticket counter or at the kiosk. I decided to spend $15 to take a "Behind the Falls" experience. When I paid for my ticket I discovered that the price had quickly risen to nearly $17 after they added the tax. I thought that was a bit sneaky, because it was not mentioned on the noticeboard.
Fortunately the experience turned out to be worth it. After riding an elevator most of the way to the base of the falls, you then can explore several tunnels which have been dug under the falls themselves. These give you the chance to emerge at different locations and get soaked with icy water from the cascading torrents. At this time of the year the ice and snow add an extra degree of beauty to the falls themselves.
Standing underneath the falls it gave me a chance to ponder the famous people who had decided to risk their lives by going over the falls in a barrel. The very first of these was Annie Edson Taylor, a 63 year old schoolteacher who had fallen upon hard times. She thought that she could secure her financial future by being the first to go over the falls in a specially designed barrel, padded with a mattress.
On October 24th 1901 she took the ultimate step and flew over the falls in her barrel. To everyone's amazement she actually survived with only relatively minor injuries. Many others who tried to repeat the feat in the following years did not end so well. Unfortunately Annie did not make her fortune and she died penniless about 20 years later. Such is life.
The story of the second person to go over the falls is even more bizarre. Ten years after Annie's exploit, Bobbie Leach repeated the antic. Although he also miraculously survived the fall, he spent the next six months in hospital recovering from his injuries. He spent the next few years travelling and speaking about his feat of daring, but eventually met his end in New Zealand were he died following complications from slipping on an orange peel. Strange but true !
The Niagara River marks the border between Canada and the USA. The tall buildings I could see on the other side of the river were in America where all eyes were occupied on the battle to see which octogenarian would win the Democratic Party nomination to stand against the geriatric Donald Trump. How had politics in the USA ever come to this ?
The falls themselves are also steadily moving upstream. Each year the water erodes more of the cliffs so that they are now in a completely different location to where they were several hundred years ago. The flow of water over the falls is also controlled by a huge hydro plant upstream. Perhaps that is why the volume of water is less than I expected to see.
The rest of the day was spent visiting several other impressive locations. The Niagara whirlpool is formed when the river undertakes a dramatic change of direction. In the summer months it is possible to take a ride over this section, but it was still closed for the winter.
The final stop was at a beautiful township called Niagara on the Lake. Situated on the banks of the huge Lake Ontario, it was easy to see that this prosperous township was built on an influx of summer tourists and their money. There was no denying that the immaculate homes were stunning. The deserted streets made the place absolutely delightful.
When we finally got back on the bus again, it did not take me long to fall asleep for most of the way back to Toronto. When we reached the city a gentle flurry of snow was floating down from the sky. It was the perfect ending to a quite amazing day.
Note - since I can only include ten pictures on each footprint, I will create another footprint for some images of Niagara on the Lake.Читать далее
Путешественникglad you managed to get to niagra.. it is different but awesome none the less. if you were in niagra did you try the poutin?
Exploring the City
3 марта 2020 г., Канада ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C
It never ceases to amaze me how quickly our brains can adapt to unfamiliar environments. When I arrived in Toronto, less than 24 hours ago, I had absolutely no knowledge of the city. The drive from the airport took me through a continuing series of complete mysteries. I had no idea what direction we were travelling or how far away my apartment was. This is the same feeling I have whenever I enter a city for the first time.
After a restless night's sleep my first need was to get something to eat. It had been a long time since I had eaten anything substantial and I knew that my body was running on empty. A glance out the window reminded me that it was cold outside - very cold. So on went my jumper, beanie and gloves and out I went into the streets of Toronto for the very first time.
Of course this time I was on my own. I made a very conscious effort to memorise each landmark that I passed so that I would be able to find my way back again. My first observation was this was obviously a prosperous neighbourhood. A row of stately residences had been converted into very fancy shops, but there was nothing that looked like it would be able to sell me breakfast. I kept walking.
Alongside the roadside there were large piles of dirty snow that had presumably been swept from the road itself. A very fine drizzle was falling, but it was scarcely enough to make me wet. Eventually I hit the jackpot. I spied a second floor eatery with the original name "Flo's Diner". The neon sign in the window said it was open. I immediately decided that my search was over. All I had to do was find a way to get up to the place.
For the next ten minutes I tried every door I could find to gain entrance. All were locked tight. I walked back and forth in the street. I even decided to ask a man standing nearby for help, but unfortunately I managed to find one of the few people in Toronto who did not speak a word of English. Surely I would not collapse in the street from starvation when food was so tantalizingly close by ?
Eventually I discovered an unlikely door next to a boarded up shop. It opened when I pushed and I experienced my own Eureka moment. Up the stairs and into the Diner I went. Soon I was enjoying a nice omelette and orange juice and my body started to feel better. At least I now knew where I could get food.
I continued my walk and soon discovered an entire indoor shopping centre. One thing I can never understand is why the coldest countries have the hottest indoors. Although it was only 3C outside, the temperature inside was stifling. It was little wonder that some were walking around in T shirts and shorts. I could only think of the extreme waste of energy.
It was good to be back outside in the cold again. I made my way to the imposing Royal Ontario Museum and learned about the hard life of the Eskimos. I was even able to watch a silent movie about "Nanook of the North". Although I had only planned to watch a few minutes of it, I found it really interesting and stayed for much longer.
My next stop was the snow covered Queen's Park, followed by the University of Toronto. I followed a group of students into a lovely old building and for a while I pretended that I was back in my undergraduate years. The notices on the noticeboard had not changed much in 50 years. I guess student life is still very much the same the world over.
By mid afternoon the rain had increased in intensity and I decided that it was time to return to the comfort of my apartment. I decided to try the television. Without any instructions, I could not figure out how to watch TV, but somehow I did manage to find that it streamed TED talks. I had already fed my body, so I thought it was time to feed my mind for a while. These talks really are fascinating.
I had a simple dinner from some groceries I bought at the supermarket. The prices of simple staples like milk, cereal and juice was eye watering. $4.99 CAD for a 1 litre carton of milk made me appreciate that we really are not so badly off in Australia after all.
Although I had only traveled a few km during the day, I already felt that I was beginning to build a mental map of the new surroundings.
Now I'm ready for bed.Читать далее
Tired in Toronto
3 марта 2020 г., Канада ⋅ ☁️ 1 °C
In some respects planning and executing a complex overseas trip is like assembling a clock - in spite of how much effort you put into the preparation, you never actually know if it will turn out OK until you actually start the process. A successful trip involves a vast number of inter related events all correctly occurring just the way you planned them.
There are many things that throw your plans into chaos - a traffic jam on the freeway, a cancelled or delayed flight, a booking mistake by a hotel, a transfer that did not turn up as planned and (perhaps the most dreaded of all) the prospect of your luggage going missing in transit. In fact, when you consider all the things that can possibly go wrong, you might wonder why I keep travelling. The answer to that one is simple. The world is such an amazing place that once you start discovering one part of it, you just can't stop. It really can become an addiction.
My long journey to Cuba began when my alarm went off at 4 am in the morning on the 2nd of March. It was dark and drizzly outside but the exciting prospect of more adventures about to begin was enough to wake me quickly. After a hurried breakfast and a final quick check of my luggage - yes my passport and Cuban visa were both there, it was time to face the first challenge.
The prospect of driving the Monash Freeway at 6 am in the morning is indeed enough to make enough the valiant hearted weak at the knees. After ten minutes we found ourselves stuck in the first of many traffic jams. I could not help but feel pity for the poor devils who face this nightmare every morning of their lives. I don't care what salary you were paid, it could not possibly be enough to warrant this daily torment.
Fortunately the jams did eventually clear and we arrived at the airport with time to spare. I queued in the Air Canada check in line while the two staff slowly worked their way through each person's paperwork. They could possibly have worked slower, but I am not sure how. The line moved forward at a glacial pace until I finally was relieved of my big luggage.
The passage through security and immigration was actually fast when compared to the check in process. That gave me time for a coffee and a croissant. My wallet was lighter by about $15 already.
I was not the only one of our group leaving that morning. There were also five other who were making their way to Cuba via Mexico. Since their plane was due to leave about an hour earlier than mine, I went in search of them. I arrived at their departure gate just in time to hear an announcement come over the PA that their flight would be delayed. Perhaps I would get to leave first after all ?
I returned back to the Air Canada departure gate and waited for boarding, relieved to find that my flight would be taking off on schedule. I was not so relieved when I entered the plane and found the seat that I was going to be entombed in for the next 16 hours. I had paid extra for an "exit row", hoping for some additional leg room, not realising that the extra leg room came at the expense of seat width. It must have been the narrowest seat I have ever had on a long haul flight, but at least I could prop my legs up in the air on a bulging part of the exit door.
The next 16 hours were not the highlight of my life. The Air Canada food was terrible and the squashed space meant that equal quantities of the main course made it into my mouth and onto the front of my shirt. The plastic fork bent every time you tried to pick anything up and the bread roll was like old rubber. It made the food on Emirates seem like like a gourmet delight by comparison.
I tried to watch a couple of movies, but discovered that my screen was only half the size of every one else's. I suppose it was to match the width of my seat. There was only one thing left to do, and that was sleep. Somehow I managed to grab several slumber sessions, but each time I awoke I was disappointed to find that I had only been asleep for about 30 minutes or so. I envy those who can just shut their eyes and sleep all the way till touchdown. It is a skill I still have not mastered.
I won't go into any more details about the longest 16 hours of my life, but we did eventually land in Vancouver. Thanks to the mystery of the international date line, the flight actually landed earlier than it took off from Melbourne !
My first sight of Vancouver was not an encouraging one. It was foggy and raining. The temperature was about 5 C. Actually I could not have cared less about the cold. In fact I loved it. After the long hours spent in the over heated plane, it was delightful to breathe fresh cool air again.
I had a scheduled 2 hour stop in Vancouver, before catching the next flight to Toronto. Thanks to a passenger not turning up for the flight, the departure was delayed while their luggage had to be retrieved from the baggage hold. At least the next flight was less than four hours. That was a real short hop compared to the behemoth I had just endured.
We landed with a big bump on a snowy runway in Toronto about 45 minutes late. The clock and calendar tried to tell me that it was still the same day that I had left Melbourne, but my body and brain knew better - that was actually eons ago.
I staggered from the plane and went off in search of the baggage carousel. For convenience they were situated about 2 km from the arrival gate. Awaiting for your own familiar luggage to appear is always a rather stressful time, especially if you see just about everyone else departing with their bags while you are still waiting. It is one of those events that you have no control over - a bit like winning the lottery, but in a (very) bad way.
To my relief my bag did make a triumphant appearance and I went in search of the taxi that I had pre ordered back in Australia. I had not been waiting long when I received a SMS from the driver telling me that he was waiting for me. A short time later I was sitting in the back of a comfortable car, heading for downtown Toronto. The driver introduced himself as "Alex" and told me that he had originally come from Pakistan as a child, but had lived in Toronto for most of his life. Within minutes we discovered a common love of cricket and we spent the rest of the drive talking about players past and present. He seemed to know as much about all the Australian players as I did. I was even more surprised when he told me that he played Dodgeball and I was able to tell him that my youngest son had played on the Australian Dodgeball team.
It was fascinating to see the high snow drifts on the sides of the road. This is my first time in Canada and I had been hoping that winter would not end before I arrived. I really wanted to see snow and now I had.
The drive was only 26 km but it seemed much longer than that. It was around 7.30 pm when we finally arrived at my apartment. I had been planning to find something to eat, but all I could really think off was getting into a bed. So that's exactly what I did.
In spite of all the things that could have gone wrong, nothing had. My clock was working.Читать далее
Black Beans, Rum and Cigars
1 марта 2020 г., Австралия ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Before travelling to any country for the first time, I like to do a little bit of research - learn a little of the geography, history, culture and cuisine. I also try to learn at least a little of the local language. In this way I feel I am somewhat prepared for what I will encounter when I step out into the streets for the first time. So that's why I tried to learn a little about Cuba.
The first reference I found was about the Cuban food. It summed it up pretty quickly by describing it as "pretty awful". Whoever wrote the article did their best to tell me that we should be prepared for a non stop diet of cabbage and black beans. If that is true then it is quite likely that I will not be putting on much weight over the next few weeks. While some of my less diplomatic friends might say that it will do me good to subsist on substandard food for a while, if I am going to have to eat copious quantities of beans, it is probably just as well that I have a room to myself.
I also looked up what types of shopping I might do while in Havana. Apparently the most popular items for tourists to purchase are rum and cigars. In that case I won't have to worry about my luggage being overweight when I leave the country.
And what about the language ? Although I did have the very best of intentions about refreshing my knowledge of Spanish, I have to admit that I somehow ran out of momentum at about lesson three of Pimsleur's Learn and Speak Spanish. I can confidently say "hello" , "thank you", "Good Morning" and count to ten. Anything else will be an unexpected bonus. So Cuba, here I come !
Tomorrow morning I will be beginning my journey with a (very) long flight from Melbourne to Vancouver. At the same time a number of our other team members will be flying to Los Angeles, on their way to Mexico. After a very brief stop in Vancouver, I will continue with a (much shorter) flight to Toronto. That's where I will be stopping for a few days before continuing to Havana.
As part of my research, yesterday I checked the weather in Toronto. It told me that it was - 11 C and snowing. Now that will be quite a shock, especially when compared with the tropical heat that will greet us in Cuba.
The next footprint will be from Canada. Adios.Читать далее
ПутешественникSafe travels. Look forward to reading about your adventures. Cheers 👋
A Disaster Strikes Before we Even Start
29 февраля 2020 г., Австралия ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
It was not the call I wanted to hear. When you pack your bags for an overseas trip, the first item to pack should always be your passport. If you are going to visit any countries that require an entry visa, it is also essential that the relevant visa is packed and ready to be presented to the immigration officers when you arrive.
For months I had been reminding our participants about the importance of having their Cuban visas sorted well before departure. And yet here we were. One of the first two participants to leave Melbourne had just arrived at the airport and discovered that their Cuban visa had "gone missing".
To make matters worse, it was Saturday morning in Melbourne and the Cuban Embassy in Canberra was closed for the weekend. All I could do was reassure them that "somehow it would work out" and wish them a safe flight.
When I got off the phone, I did some more research and learnt that it should be possible to arrange another visa when they arrive at Cancun airport in Mexico. Hopefully this information is accurate, or else we might find our group reduced from 16 to 15 before we even arrive in Havana.
The phone call also prompted me to recheck that I still had my visa securely folded in my passport. To my relief it was. I also decided to scan the visa and store a digital copy as well. In a future blog post I will let you know whether the visa problem was solved or not.Читать далее
Thirteen Days that Stopped the World
27 февраля 2020 г., Австралия ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
In October 1962 I was an eleven year old, Grade 6 student at Eastmoor State School. Although much of my primary school experiences have now faded into oblivion, there is still one event that still brings back feelings of fear and dread.
In those days international travel was a luxury enjoyed only by the rich and powerful and I suspect that most people had never even heard much of the tiny country of Cuba and its enigmatic ruler Fidel Castro, until it was suddenly thrust into the world's spotlight. The so called "Cuban Missile Crisis" was a dangerous game of nuclear brinkmanship between John Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev that brought the entire world to the very edge of nuclear war (and very possibly to the end of our civilisation).
Even though I was only a young child, I was well aware that war was drawing ever closer. Every newspaper and news broadcast seemed to predict an imminent catastrophic war between Russia and America. It was during a school lunchtime that an announcement over the school PA system almost made me physically sick.
I cannot understand why a school principal would put such an announcement to young children. Maybe he was just following instructions in case there was a nuclear attack on Melbourne. Although I have forgotten the wording of the announcement, I can remember that it effectively said that President Kennedy had ordered an immediate blockade of Cuba. Not many people believed that Russia would back down and hence we prepared for the worst possible outcome.
Of course, that day was a lifetime ago. Although we came very close (most experts now say that nuclear war was a 50-50 chance), the world did not end. The children that I shared the playground with have gone on to live their lives, marry, have children and grandchildren of their own and only people who are now elderly can remember what those days were like.
The conventional explanation of those events was that JFK outsmarted Khrushchev, however many years later the full story eventually came out. In return for the dismantling of the Russian missiles in Cuba, the USA also had to remove their nuclear weapons from Turkey as a quid pro quo.
Although JFK was assassinated the following year and subsequent American presidents came and went. Fidel Castro continued his rule over Cuba for another 46 years. In that time massive changes in the world took place. America landed a man on the moon, technology took off, the computer age boomed and the Internet changed the way that we all live our lives. But what about Cuba ? Has it changed or is it still locked in a 1960s time bubble ? That is what we are soon about to find out.
From my previous travels I have learned that the best way to truly experience any country is NOT by taking a package bus ride that pretends to show you "the whole country in five days". You do not learn much looking out a bus window. The very best ways are to explore by foot or by bicycle and Cuba is no exception.
About 18 months ago I started exploring options to put together an extended cycling adventure around Cuba. After many hours of research and effort, I finally settled on a 16 day itinerary that would enable us to cycle between many of the most scenic and important parts of the country. Along the way, we would have plenty of opportunities to see what Cuba and its people are really like.
When the plans were complete I shared the details with the others in the Ghostriders cycling group to see how many others would like to share the experience with me. The response was immediate and within a couple of days I had 16 people who were keen to head off into the unknown by cycling around Cuba on this madcap adventure.
Over a year has now elapsed since those original plans were made. In just a few days our team members will be flying out of Melbourne and our long-awaited adventure will be starting in Havana.
So will there be more to Cuba than old cars and Cuban cigars ? We will soon find out.
You are invited to share the journey with me.Читать далее
The Long Journey Home
18 октября 2019 г., Австралия ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C
It really had been an exceptional trip in every respect. Although it had been the third time that I had ridden the Loire a Velo bike path, I could honestly say that I enjoyed it even more than the previous rides. Not only is every ride unique, but the fact that I knew some of the things that were ahead actually increased my excitement. Of course the real pleasure from travel never comes from seeing famous buildings or tourist attractions, it flows from the hundreds of unplanned things that occur along the way - the people you meet, the emotions you feel, the weather you experience and so much more. The real magic arises when you are able to share these moments with a great group of like minded friends.
Although the 2019 France Rides will be remembered as one of our best ever adventures, we were well aware that all good things eventually must come to an end. We also had a home and family to return to. Our latest grandson (Jossi) had only been two months old when we left and we were very conscious of the fact that he had been going through so many key developmental stages while we were away. We were now both ready to come home. We were also about to begin one of the longest days of our lives.
After packing our bags for the final time, we cast a final look around the lovely apartment that had been our home for the past four days. We knew that, once we shut the door, our journey home had begun.
In previous visits to Paris we had always arranged our airport shuttle in advance. This time we decided to live a little more dangerously and just catch a local taxi instead. We wheeled our suitcases a short distance to the Boulevarde Saint Michel and made our way to the taxi stand. A few moments later we were loading our bags into the boot of a comfortable taxi. It almost seemed too easy.
The drive through central Paris was rather tedious, but soon we were on the Peripherique ring road and speeding towards Charles de Gaul airport. Paris was shrinking behind us, but the memories will be with us for the rest of our lives.
There is a flat rate for a taxi from the left bank to CDG airport of 55 Euro, so I handed this to the helpful driver and then gave him another 5 Euro extra. He seemed grateful and it made me feel a little happier as well.
Although we had made it to the airport a little earlier than expected, the checkin desk soon opened and we found ourselves in the long circuitous queue. At least we weren't at the end of the queue, but the progress was very slow since only two desks were operating. It was at this point that things took an alarming turn.
Maggie noticed that there was an innocuous looking grey suitcase sitting just 3 or 4 metres away from us with no owner in sight. Although I tried to act calm, I have to admit that my pulse rate did ramp up a notch or three. It did not take long for a security guard to notice the case and soon there was a ring of burly and heavily armed soldiers that were directing everyone away from the case. Although we were glad that something was being done, we were accutely aware of just how exposed we were.
"I want to get out of here", Maggie whispered in my ear.
I looked back at the huge queue. "But we are almost at the front now", I pointed out. "If we go now we will right at the back".
By this time there were announcement coming over the PA about the case. I wondered why they had not shut the terminal and moved everyone away. In the meantime it was impossible to take our eyes away from the case. Was this the way that our amazing trip was going to end ?
Just as I struggled to decide what to do we saw an anxious French woman and a young child come forward to speak to the guards. It appeared that it was the child who had forgotten to bring her case with her. Soon the child was crying, probably thinking that they would both be going to jail. After several minutes of discussion, the mother and child (and the case) went on their way. It had been a sobering reminder of just how edgy we have all become in situations like this.
Fortunately we survived the check in, were handed our boardding passes, made our way through the chaos of security screening and were eventually on our Emirates flight to Dubai. About 6 hours later we were touching down in the sandy furnace. Although it was in the middle of the night, the temperature was still a scorching 35C. I can never imagine why anyone would be tempted to have a holiday in this oven. Two or three hours is more than enough.
We made our way to the connecting flight without a problem and were ready to relax in the departure lounge when Maggie made a rather important observation. "Are we going to Singapore ?" she asked. "No of course not", I replied. "Well this plane is", she pointed out. Somehow we had misread the flight details and we in the wrong place.
What followed next was a hectic walk from one end of the huge terminal to the other. It was about the same distance as walking from one side of Paris to the other - the Dubai airport is bigger than Texas. We eventually stumbled into the correct departure lounge, out of breath and just a little agitated. I had never made that mistake before, and I don't think I will again. Lesson learnt.
Finally seated on the correct plane, we tried to prepare ourselves for the 14 hour fight to Melbourne. What happened during those hours is a bit of a blur, but I did manage to get a few hours sleep, watch a few episodes of Big Bang Theory and spend an interminable amount of time waiting in the queue for one of the remaining toilets. From time to time I punished myself further by watching the screen animation of a tiny plane crawling its way across the globe towards Melbourne.
The plane finally touched down around 11 pm. It was a clear night and the familiar lights of Melbourne told us that we really were home at last. I looked across the Maggie and asked "How do you feel ?". "Actually not as bad as I expected", she answered. Perhaps you do actually get a little better at coping with these long haul flights after all.
It was a pleasant surprise when our luggage was among the first to appear on the carousel. We had left a car at a long term car park and it was an even more pleasant surprise to find their shuttle bus already waiting for us. It was almost too easy. It had been a long and complex trip, but every detail had gone exactly according to plan - so much so that I almost found myself expecting something to wrong wrong. But it never did.
All that remained was to load our bags into our car and drive back to Pakenham. At least it was the very best time to make the journey. At 12 midnight the traffic was almost non existant. By 1 am we were pulling into our driveway. The light that we had left turned on two months earlier was still on. I fumbled for the front door key and inserted it into the lock. We were home, but I knew that we hadn't seen the last of France. I missed the morning baguettes already.Читать далее
Final Day in Paris
15 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Yesterday we decided to begin our day with a rather unusual activity - getting new glasses from a French optician. It turned out to be quite an experience, but we both agreed that the end result really was worth it. The glasses were great and the fact that we got them in Paris will make them a great souvenir of this trip.
Today was our final full day, so we had to decide just how we were going to use our final hours in this incredible city. We had so many options to choose from you might be quite surprised at the decision we made. After a lot of thought, I decided that I would go back to the opticians to get a third pair of glasses. I needed a pair specifically for using while I was sitting at the computer and I couldn't think of a better place to get them.
So off we went back to the "10 Euros in 10 Minutes" shop. They seemed a little surprised to see us back again, but were happy when we told them the reason. After a new eye test and some selecting the frames, I was soon the proud owner of another pair of computer glasses.
Since the area around Las Halles was rather unfamiliar to us, we also took the opportunity to explore the large open spaces and fascinating buildings that were there. We finally returned via the Louvre and across the Seine to our apartment. Since my GPS has been inoperative for the past couple of weeks, I could not measure just how far we walked in the past coiuple of days, but I would estimate that it would be at least 15 to 20 km each day. It was enough to make us thoroughly exhausted.
One thing we have noticed over our our recent visits to Paris is how quickly the city is progressing towards being more and more bike friendly. Many of the major roads have now been narrowed considerably to create safe separated lanes for cyclists, scooter riders and joggers. The shared electric scooters are used by people of all ages and are obviously a very popular alternative for convenient commuting around the city. Paris is still nowhere near other famous bike cities, such as Amsterdam, but it is a long way ahead of Melbourne in this regard.
After a brief rest we ventured out again. This time it was for a much more mundane reason - to do our laundry. Although the first laundromat we found was out of action due to some sort of malfunction, we did find another one that we had used on previous trips. An hour later we had bags of clean, dry clothes. If nothing else, it might help to make our luggage just a little bit lighter, since clean clothes must weigh a bit less than dirty ones.
Tomorrow morning we will be cramming our bags for the final time, before catching a taxi to Charles de Gaulle airport. By Friday morning we will back back home in Melbourne. This trip has been one of the very best I can remember, but we are now both more than ready to be back with our family and friends. I hope you have enoyed sharing some of the adventure with us.
And a final comment - we will surely miss those fresh baguettes every day.Читать далее
ПутешественникI have very much enjoyed reading about your adventure and look forward to seeing you again soon. Have a safe trip home
Lunettes Pour Nous
14 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
We had a big decision to make. With only two full days in Paris, we needed to choose our activities wisely. One thing we were both in agreement on was that we had no intention of running to and fro all day doing the normal "tourist things". There would be no Hop On Hop Off buses, no Louvre, no Musee D'Orsee, not even an Eiffel Tower in our plans. But what could we do ?
When we had been in Nantes we happened to notice an interesting shop with the slogan "10 Euros in 10 Minutes". Although you might be excused in thinking it was some sort of fast food place, it was in fact an optician. Their unique claim was that they could make you a new pair of glasses in only 10 minutes, with or without a prescription. Not only that, but the cost could be as low as 10 Euros.
I had to admit that it had us both intrigued enough to do some further research. We learned that each store was highly automated and could produce the lenses in only a few minutes. Our problem in Nantes was that we had arrived on a Sunday and the store (like just about everything) was closed. But we were going to be in Paris on a Monday. Voila !
The more we thought about it, the more the idea started to take root in our minds. It certainly would be an experience to have an eye test in France and go home with new spectacles. And so that's what we decided to do.
Our research had shown that there was a store on the right bank, about 1 km from our apartment. We arrived right on opening time at 10 am and then had fun explaining to the young staff that we were from Australia and were looking for new glasses. We were soon both ushered into a high tech testing room where we had new prescriptions produced (no appointment necessary).
The next step was to choose our frames. It was here that we discovered that not all the glasses can be produced for 10 Euro. Most of the frames were from 20 Euro to 50 Euro and the price of the lenses depends on the complexity of the prescription. Presumably it was only people who required no correction at all who would be able to get the 10 Euro special.
Even so, the prices were quite reasonable. Thirty minutes later I was the proud owner of two new pairs of spectacles and Maggie the owner of one new pair. Even with scratch resistance and transition lenses, the total cost was only equivalent to $300 AUD. And did they work ? Yes they really did. It will also be another fond memory of our brief time in Paris.
The rest of the day we spent walking (and walking and walking) until we both felt completely spent. The weather still continues to be warm and sunny and we even took the chance to have a lovely snooze on a couple of the chairs in the Tuileries Gardens.
We returned exhausted to our apartment for dinner, before having another nightime walk around the I'le de La Citie. The tourist boats were cruising the Seine and the distant light from the top of the Eiffel Tower was flashing across the low clouds. It had been just about an ideal day in this wonderful city.Читать далее
ПутешественникWhat a wonderful adventure you’ve had. I’ve enjoyed reading all about it! All because you’ve taken the time every day to write about everything you’ve seen and thought about. When you arrive in Melbourne, welcome home to Spring, with flowers everywhere!
ПутешественникYes, in the same month - enjoy France in Autumn, Australia in Spring; life can be very, very good.
The World on Two WheelsThanks guys, we are looking forward to seeing everyone again. It has been a marvelous trip, but it is time to head home now.
And Finally .....Paris
13 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
It was rather strange "checking out" of a hotel when there was no one at the desk. In fact there seemed to be no one anywhere. We had been the only people at breakfast in the downstairs cafe and we noticed that the cafe closed as soon as we left.
With no sign of a soul at the desk, we had no alternative than to just leave the key on the desk, manhandle our luggage down the stairs and out the door and then just let the door slam behind us.
The sun was already shining brightly and the morning felt like summer again. Since we were still a little early for our train to Paris, we decided to sit in the sunshine doing crossword puzzles instead. The main Gare de Tours was only a 5 minute walk from the Hotel Linxa, so we had plenty of time on our hands. We calculated that we had already stayed in 29 different rooms so far on this trip. We were now about to proceed to the 30th and final room, before we caught the plane back to Melbourne.
Soon we were seated on the train to Paris, the scenery was flashing past in a blur and we had even been able to find place for our luggage. This had been a long and complicated trip and it is always a relief when every single arrangement along the way goes exactly according to the plan.
It was only when the train pulled into Montparnasse Station that things took a slightly weird turn. For some reason the train had been diverted away from the main station and we found ourselves climbing out in a completely unfamiliar part of the station complex. In spite of following the "Sortie" signs, we could not find any way to get out of the building (and neither could a group of French people who had the same problem). We even had a couple trips in an elevator, looking for an exit without success.
By the time we eventually escaped via a construction zone, we were right around the back of the building and had a long walk back to the main entrance. Of course the inevitable happened - Maggie needed a toilet. I waited with all the luggage while she went back inside the station in search of a toilet. I stood outside and fumed.
About 30 minutes we were finally in a taxi and heading to the apartment we had booked near the Seine. After some difficulty the driver found the place and we rang the owner to let her know we had arrived. The location of the apartment is exceptional - right near the Seine and opposite the I'sle de La Citie. The apartment itself was wonderful. Not only did it have heaps of room, it was brand new and fully equipped. It was easily the best accommodation we have ever enjoyed in Paris. We had arrived at the 30th room and everything had gone as planned.
After settling in, we went out for a walk. Since we were so close to Notre Dame Cathedral, we went to look at the damage caused by the huge fire earlier this year. Although the entire region is now fenced off from the public, you can clearly see the stabilisation works that have already taken place. The beautiful flying buttresses have now been reinforced with huge wooden beams. Where the stained glass windows used to be are now sheets of clear plastic to keep out the weather. A large wooden roof construction is also taking shape, but we do not know if that is a temporary or permanent feature. It certainly was heartbreaking to see the damage at close quarters. We can only hope that those in authority will act wisely when choosing the best course of action to take in the history of this ancient building.
We now have two days in Paris before beginning the flight home.Читать далее
A Long Trying Tour to Tours
12 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
We knew it was always going to be a long day. With around 400 km of driving on unfamiliar roads to get back from Sarlat to Tours, I had not exactly been looking forward to the challenge, especially considering the propensity the Peugeot's GPS seems to have to keep directing us into the narrowest roads in France.
Although we checked and rechecked the route on Google maps, the first 75 km was still rather tortuous. On the positive side of the ledger, the difficult roads rewarded us every few minutes with absolutely delightful scenery. If at all possible, the autumn colours seem to be changing by the day, and the colour palette that is displayed is amazing. Although we have often travelled in Europe at this time of the year, we have never stayed around long enough to witness the full cycle as the trees shed all their leaves for the coming winter. Maybe one year .......
It was not until we finally hit the first toll road that we were really able to make up for some lost time. I wound the cruise control up to a little over 130 kph and was finally able to see the km start to fly by. We also started to see the first road signs pointing the way to Paris and counting down the km. In a way we felt like we were already heading home.
The next long section of road was even better - not only did it have a 130 kph speed limit, but it was free. The GPS told me that there would be no turns for over 200 km. It was a little boring, but we needed to get to Tours before 5 pm to return the rental car.
All was going very well until we saw a flashing light by the side of the freeway. It warned that there was a traffic accident ahead. On went the brakes (hoping that the cars behinds were equally alert). We were soon stationary in an endless line of vehicles. I was quite impressed that the GPS display on the dashboard had already turned red, indicating that there was a big delay on this road. I am not sure how it worked, but it was interesting to see technology in action.
For the next 30 minutes we sat there. I started to have visions of us still being there at nightfall, but eventually the line of cars started to move and we were on our way again.
It was then that another problem started to raise its ugly head - we needed fuel. Although we were still on that 200 km section of freeway, they do have "Aires" every 20 km or so. These are large rest/fuel/restaurant stops that are frequented by the huge tour buses. Every few minutes one of these awful buses pulls in to disgorge their bored passengers to make a beeline for the toilets and to buy some horrible plastic sandwiches. What a disgusting way to have a European holiday, but that is the way that millions of people get to experience France.
It is always a confusing process to purchase petrol. We have had this problem before, when for some unknown reason, many petrol stations do not seem to recognise our VISA cards. We thought we had hit the jackpot when we discovered that this one was happy with our card. It was a pity that we could not follow the rest of the instructions. I should have felt the inner feeling of foreboding doom as I happily filled the car, but I was just relieved to hear the fuel sloshing into the tank.
After filling the tank, I looked again at the instructions. The bowser already had our credit card details and I wondered how I was meant to tell it that the transaction was finished. I stood staring at the little images, until Maggie yelled at me from the car to "Get going". Maybe she was already needing another toilet stop. I climbed back in the car and continued the drive. It turned out to be an expensive mistake.
The next couple of hours went by without incident (apart from several more toilet stops for Maggie), until we were on the outskirts of Tours. Since we needed to return the car with a tankful of petrol, we needed one more petrol station. We found one without much trouble, however this one would not accept our card. In such circumstances you have to resort to "Plan B".
We noticed a friendly looking Frenchman at the next pump and indicated that we needed help. In a mixture of fractured French and sign language, we explained that our card would not work. He agreed to use his card and we immediately paid him back in cash. He seemed happy and so were we. It was another example of the fact that most human beings will treat you well if you are friendly and smile a lot.
All that remained was to safely navigate the final few km into the centre of Tours and return the car. The rental depot was right at the train station and we happened to arrive at the same time as a major train. The streets near the station were jammed with cars trying to pick people up from the station. On top of this we had no real idea of where to return our car. The stress levels started to soar again.
Fortunately I managed to find a blind alley and decided to leave the car there while Maggie walked to the rental car office. I figured that I had got it safely this far, they could figure out what to do next. A few minutes later a friendly young fellow came out, checkout the car to make sure we had not written it off and then bade us "Au Revoir". It was another chapter of our long adventure which had been successfully completed.
All that remained was to catch a train to the Gare de Tours station and then find our hotel. When we emerged from the huge central station we immediately felt home. On our left was the huge Grand Hotel which had been our home about three week's earlier. The sky was clear and the temperature was in the mid 20s - it was delightful.
A few minutes later we were searching for the nearby Hotel Linxa. We were a little underwhelmed to find that it consisted only of a door with a tiny sign. The door was firmly locked. We pushed the tiny button and eventually a middle aged guy came out to meet us.
The listing on Booking.com proudly announced "We speak your language", however this must only be true if your language is French. The guy spoke not a SINGLE word of of English. In a country where we have been told over and over that all the children learn English in school, they must all be shocking students since most of them forget everything they learn as soon as they walk out the school door.
Even more daunting that his lack of English was the fact that hotel had no lift, only a very narrow and very steep staircase leading to our room on the second floor. We were both tired and this was almost enough to break us. We dragged, pulled, heaved and lifted our luggage and then both collapsed onto the bed. This type of holiday is hard work.
A little while later, when my breath had returned, I decided to check the on line banking to see that the day's transaction had been processed correctly. To my horror I found that the petrol station had charged me over $200 for the petrol I had used. Since the car could not hold a fraction of that quantity of fuel, I have to assume that whoever used the pump next was able to fill up on my account. It was another example of the perils of petrol purchasing in a foreign country.
Although it was a rather unpleasant discovery, it was not the end of the world. We had survived the long drive, we had enjoyed a wonderful holiday and we were back in Tours. Tomorrow we will be in Paris. In the overall scheme of things, losing a $100 or so is a rather trivial matter. Perhaps we will regard it as a learning experience, in the meantime I can gain many brownie points by continually reminding Maggie that it was her fault, and that she will have to greatly reduce her spending for the rest of the trip.Читать далее
The World on Two Wheels
We made it safely to Tours, after a very long day on the road.
ПутешественникHopefully the $200 fuel money is a pre-authorisation charge which should be refunded when the actual amount is processed
The World on Two WheelsNope it is definitely a fuel charge. At least someone else got a free tankful or two of petrol. Worse things can happen. C'est la vie.
An Indian Summer in Sarlat
11 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
I have to admit that we both believed that the balmy days of summer had passed by for another year. Over the past couple of weeks we could feel the increasing chill in the air and the skies were almost invariably overcast. It was certainly a far cry from those initial couple of hot and cloudless weeks we had spent in Provence at the start of this trip.
You can imagine our surprise when we awoke to find that the clouds had all disappeared and the sun had regained some of its former sting. We had no ambitious plans for the day, since this will be our last "day of leisure" before the pace of things increases as the day of our return to Australia draws close.
After a somewhat slow breakfast, we wandered back to the centre of the old town. Now that we have learned our way about we have discovered that there was a much quicker route than the one we had first followed. The place really was quickly beginning to feel quite familiar. We eve found ourselves referring to our rented apartment as "home". That was how we felt.
By the middle of the day the temperature had risen to around 25C and the sun actually felt hot on our skin. I guess we were experiencing something of an "Indian summer" in France. At one stage while we were walking in a narrow alleyway, we heard an earsplitting noise overhead. It really took us a moment to figure out what was happening. It was a very low altitude flyover by some mighty fast fighter jets. I have no idea what type of plane they were, but the sound was quite terrifying. This is a spectacle that we never experience in Australia, I suppose because the few planes we possess are all situated somewhere in the north of the country. In France, the locals do not bat an eye when this happens.
In the afternoon we decided to follow a quiet walking path up the hill to gain a panoramic view of the town. It went quite well until we realised that we had ended up in someone's private yard. Fortunately they did not send the dogs after us and we were able to safely retrace our steps.
Tonight will be our final night in Salart as tomorrow we begin the long journey back home. By tomorrow evening we will be back in familiar territory in Tours as we return the rental car. On the following day we will continue our way to Paris by train.Читать далее
Rocamadour - the Cliffside Pilgrim Site
10 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
"I think we should go to Rocamadour", she said. "It's very close to here", she added. Although I had never heard of the place, she convinced me that it really was one of the most amazing places in the whole of the Dordogne Region. In such circumstances it is futile to resist.
"When do you want to leave ?", I meekly asked. Soon we were sitting in the car, entering the details into the GPS system. "This time we want the FAST option", I demanded. "No more of those tiny roads in the mountains".
With the GPS loaded, we wound our way out of Sarlat and headed towards Rocamadour. According to the GPS, it was about 50 km and 90 minutes away. How did that calculate ? Soon I had the answer and it was not the one I had been hoping for.
Once again we had been directed onto the narrowest, most circuitous, roughest and certainly the most dangerous tracks in the entire district. Where were the wide highways that I wanted ? Certainly not here.
Within the first 10 km Maggie had changed her mind about seeing Rocamadour. "I want to go back", she screamed, with her fingernails imbedded deep in my right thigh. "It's too late now, there's no space to turn around". I also added "Remember that this was your idea, not mine". I also pointed out that it was about 50 km to the elusive hilltop town, hardly the "very close" that she had claimed.
There was no denying that the scenery was beautiful. With the trees now fully decked out in the full range of autumn shadings, they were simply breathtaking. At times we drove above the Dordogne River, but the roads were always too narrow to stop to take a picture.
A couple of hours of very nervous driving later, we finally arrived at the ancient town. The records of this place date back to the 12th century and it is surrounded in myths that have attracted pious pilgrims walking the Way of St James for hundreds of years. Whenever you see the way that the ancient stonemasons were able to build massive churches and abbeys precariously clinging to almost vertical cliffsides, you have to appreciate their skill and hard work. And all without the assistance of power tools and computers.
Rocamadour was once one of the four most important pilrimmage sites in Christendom and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Perhaps the reason for the religious importance was the discovery of an apparently incorruptable body in this location, way back in 1166. Early pilgrims used to climb to the summit on their knees but, since my knee is not yet fully recovered after my accident in Sancere, I decided against that option.
In one place a large number of plaques testify to a range of miracles that have been attributed to divine intervention. Many of these miracles relate to ships at sea. That is why there are numerous models of boats in the church sanctuary.
Of course Maggie took one look over her head and stated that she would NOT be climbing to the top. I reminded her that, if I could drive here, she could make the effort to overcome her fear of heights. She promised to think about it.
After a lovely lunch on a terrace with a panoramic view and a little retail shopping therapy, she felt a little better. All women do. She reluctantly agreed to come to the top and, once she was there, she was thrilled at the unbelievable views we were rewarded with. Perhaps it really was worth all that we had gone through to get there after all.
The drive back to Sarlat did not seem anywhere near as frightening, probably because we took a completely different route that time and avoided the tiny tracks.
We finished the day with an evening walk around the centre of Sarlat and then returned for dinner in our apartment. It had been quite a day.Читать далее
Sarlat la Caneda
9 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
It is a powerful feeling to be walking alleyways and staircases that have been trodden for hundreds of years. Since time immemorial (or maybe even longer) Sarlat la Caneda has been a centre of worship and trade. Much of the old city that you see today was constructed between the 13th and 16th centuries. It has also been a part of the French Camino pilgrim trail to Santiago, so it has been well visited by pilgrims on the way of St James.
When we chose to spend four nights in this city we did not appreciate just how magical the place would be. Our first challenge on arrival was to find a place to park our rental car. There was no way that I wanted to accidentally get stuck with it in one of those tiny winding alleyways. That was a terror that I never wanted to experience again.
To our relief we did find a public car park only a couple of hours walk from our apartment. Getting our luggage from the car park, through the city and up the 40 steps to the apartment was quite a physical challenge. Whoever said that holidays were meant to be easy ? I think that, by the time we get back to Melbourne, we will need another holiday, just to recover from this one.
On our first full day in the city we decided to leave the car exactly where we had parked it and do our exploring on foot. It is always surprising that a place that looked so confusing on arrival, quickly starts to feel familiar. It did not take long for us to note a few significant landmarks and then to begin to build a mental map of our new surroundings.
After a day of walking exploration, we retreated back to the apartment with a pizza and tartiflette purchased from the shop across the road. It was a lovely end to a glorious day in Sarlat.
Tomorrow we plan to explore a little further afield, that is if our car is still there when we wake up in the morning.Читать далее
Down to the Dordogne
8 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Clockmakers might try to tell us that all days are the same length. Of course that is demonstrably incorrect. Today was a day that was obviously much longer than the preceeding days.
We always knew that it was going to be a long drive from Rochefort to Salart la Caneda. Of course we had the advantage of a very sophisticated GPS navigation system in our oversized Peugeot 3008 to assist us every cm of the way. When we entered the destination details into the unit, it thought for some time and then presented us with a range of options to choose from.
There was a "FAST" option that promised we could get there in about 3 hours. That would have been utilising the network of high speed toll roads. It would also have been extremely boring, but the real reason I rejected that option is that it would have cost almost 40 Euro (about $70 AUD) in toll fees.
There were also a range of other options, including "SHORT", "ECOLOGICAL" (whatever that means) and "COMPROMISE". After due consideration I decided that it is always good to be able to reach a compromise, so selected that option. We were finally on our way.
The skies opened up as we left Rochefort and almost immediately we began following a very complex set of navigational directions. It quickly became evident that selecting the compromise option put us onto the most complicated set of back roads and cattle tracks that would be possible. Not to mention the inevitable roundabouts at about every 200 metre interval. It was going to be a slow and tedious drive, but at least the scenery was glorious.
We could certainly see why the Dordogne is such a popular region for travellers and also for expatriate English couples to settle. The rolling green hills, tiny villages and vineyards tempted us to stop every few minutes to take pictures. We would have taken more pictures, but I was starting to worry that, at the pace we were travelling, it was going to take us about 3 days just to reach the destination.
The route did take us through the town of Pons. It proved to be something of a ghost town with most of the crumbling buildings looking like they had been abandoned decades ago. The only shops that were still open were the Tabac (tobacco shop and bar) and the boulangerie (every French person needs fresh baguettes twice a day). There was one other type of business that appeared to be still operating - the ladies hairdresser. In France these places are strangely named "Institute of Beauty", leading me to wonder whether the hairdresser in Pons could rightfully be called "The Pons Institute". Sometimes my mind works in weird ways.
We were glad to be back on the move again, albeit at a glacial pace. The tiny roads twisted and turned manically, and every time we met an oncoming vehicle, I had to almost leave the road and drive along the side ditch. On each such occasion, Maggie would scream loudly, indicating her complete lack of confidence in my driving skill.
An even more stressful event occured when we found ourselves driving through the tiny town of Aubeterre. We entered the place without undue difficulty, but soon discovered that the roads in the middle of the town were fashioned like a lobster pot. You could drive into them, but there was no way out. I circled around the tiny central square, giving great entertainment to the coffee drinking locals who obviously welcomed such an amusing diversion.
The only obvious way out of the trap was through what looked like someone' s front door. Although the GPS told me to drive through the doorway, every natural instinct told me that it would be a one way end to the day's driving. I circled the bemused spectators a couple more times, weighing up my options.
I eventually stopped in the middle of the road and sent Maggie to ask for directions. She came back a few minutes later with the advice that I had been dreading. The only way out was through the doorway and out via the living room. Apparently they assured her that the path does "eventually widen a bit".
What ensued next was a terrifying series of low speed turns, interspersed with forward movements of about 5 cm at a time. Maggie stood in front of the car and tried to issue coherent instructions. I sat behind the wheel, almost soiling my pants. Why did Alamo think they were doing us a favour by giving us such a HUGE car, instead of the compact one we had booked ? I think I now know the reason - no one else would ever want such a liabilty.
Somehow we eventually managed to get through the orifice, and I hope the damage will not be spotted when the car is returned. The road did eventually widen a little, but our progress was so slow that, a couple of hours later, we decided to abandon the COMPROMISE option and select the fastest route possible. It was a wise decision.
Soon we were hurtling along at 140 kph and finally feeling like we were getting somewhere. We did get somewhere - the next pay station. I fed a handful of Euro into the machine, but by that time I did not care. I just wanted to get there.
We eventually arrived at Sarlat at about 4.30 pm. It had been a very long day. I would estimate that at least 14 hours had passed since we left Rochefort at 9.30 am that morning.
Our final challenge was to find a spot to park our (huge) car and then find the apartment we had booked for the next four nights. The owner had not returned the messages or calls we had made during the day, but fortunately he had emailed directions as to how to open the door.
To our relief we did find the address and gained access to the building. Not so welcome was the two flights of steep, narrow stairs we had to carry (ie drag) our luggage up to the apartment on the second floor. Fortunately the unit itself was magic - spacious, clean and almost new. The views from the windows were wonderful. As for me, I was just relieved that we had arrived safely and that I did not have to drive anywhere the next day.
Another most welcome development that had taken place during the day was that the wet weather had passed by and been replaced by beautiful blue skies and warm sunshine. The further south we travelled, the warmer it became. I almost thought that I would have to retrieve the pair of shorts that I had packed away somewhere deep in my lugagge.Читать далее
On the Road Again
7 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Driving in a foreign country can always be a rather stressful activity. Not only do you have the challenge of driving a completely unfamilar vehicle, but you also have the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car and a wrong side of the road to drive on. When you combine this with the challenge of navigating out of a big city, it is not a job for the faint hearted.
At least we knew that the rental car agency was not far from our hotel in Nantes. Or at least it wouldn't have been if we had taken the correct route. We had awoken to the unwelcome sound of steady rain and this was still falling as we headed out the hotel door in search of the Alamo car rental company. With a name like that, I half expected Davy Crocket to be waiting for us with the car keys.
Although we had Google's navigator to assist us, for some reason the navigation seemed to desert us at the critical time, only to reawaken in time to remind us that we had taken a much longer route than necessary. We even managed to include a couple of flights of stairs and a bridge crossing, just for good measure.
We were probably not a pleasant sight when we arrived at the rental car office. The rain had saturated our bags and made us look like drowned rats. At least they were expecting us and they actually seemed to think that we would be pleased when they informed us that they had replaced our selected car with another of about twice the size. There was a good reason why we had chosen the compact Peugeot. When you are driving through medieval villages with narrow cobblestoned steets, the last thing you need is a giant SUV. But that is exactly what we were given.
I had never even heard of a Peugeot 3008, let alone know how to drive one. All I could see was that it was huge. Genuinely huge. I immediately had awful premonitions of trying to park it in tiny parking lots and trying to squeeze it down streets that were designed for small horses. On a more positive note, it was supplied complete with a fancy GPS navigational system, which was just as well. Although we had taken our faithful TomTom GPS with us, when we went to turn it on we discovered that the last person we had loaned it to had somehow switched it to Spanish and we couldn't figure out how to return it to English.
I sat in the driver's seat in the driveway of the rental car depot for what seemed like an eternity, before I finally mustered the courage to enter the motoring maelstrom of Nantes' peak hour traffic. The first few km were the worst, but gradually I discovered what each control did. The car even had some sort of undercar cameras which showed what the car was currently driving over. That was a first.
Before long we were hurtling down the tollway at 135 kph. The rain was still pouring down, but I had found the windscreen wiper switch, so it wasn't too much of a problem. I still haven't discovered how to turn on the adaptive cruise control.
Our destination for today was the moderate sized city of Rochefort. We safely arrived there around 3 pm and found that the city looked like it had been having a hard time of things. The shops were invariably run down, as were just about all the other buildings in the town. It was a far cry from the magnificent buildings we had seen in St Malo.
The most amazing attraction we discovered in the city was a full size reconstruction of a sailing ship. We thought it was just some sort of museum piece, but it was actually intended as a playground for children. In case the thought of having your child swinging through the rigging about 10 m above the deck was enough to scare you, the sign did clearly warn that "it was only for children 6 years or older". I guess they do care about safety after all.
We had booked an apartment for the night and were relieved when we were able to find a parking spot right outside the front door. A visit to the supermarket and boulangerie gave us all the ingredients we needed for a delicious dinner. We were even able to take advantage of the washing machine to catch up on our laundry.
Tomorrow we continue our drive another 340 km to the Dordogne Region.Читать далее
The World on Two Wheels
This is a kid's playground - believe it or not. I am not sure that I would be happy for a 6 year old to climb in that rigging, but that is what it is for.
Back to the Loire
6 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
I must admit that we all felt quite emotional. It is not easy to say goodbye to friends you have shared so many experiences with over the past few weeks. It was also something of an acknowledgement that our time in France was inevitably coming to an end.
Kay and Annie were catching an early train from St Malo to Paris airport. In a few hours they would both be on their way back to Australia. A couple of hours later we were farewelling Gael and Gerry as they headed off to spend a few days in Paris. That meant we were down to just the two of us. And where will will be going ? We will actually be heading right back to where we were about a week ago.
It was time to pam (ie cram) the suitcases again for another train trip. With bulging zippers we said goodbye to the girl at the desk of the Beaufort Hotel. It had been our fourth stay at this hotel and we told her that we both hoped it would not be the last.
As soon as we started rolling our way towards the train station, we started to miss the sound of the ocean. That continuous white noise of the waves and tides really does work its way into your subconscious. It is certainly a magical way to drift off to sleep.
Our plan was to travel back to Nantes - the place where we had seen the giant automated elephant and dined like royalty at La Cigalle. That meant catching the train from St Malo to Rennes and then getting a second train to Nantes. Although the French make amazing trains that can cross the nation silently at 300 kph, their station design leaves a lot to be desired.
It is apalling that so many of their stations still have no lifts or escalators. There is often no alternative to manhandling suitcases up and down long flights of stairs. I cannot understand how anyone with any sort of physical disability would manage. It is bad enough for people of "senior years", like us.
Even if you successfully manage to get your luggage through the station and on to the correct train, there is almost no storage room on the trains for suitcases. We have often had to jam the case into the same seats we were sitting on and then have an extremely uncomfortable journey as a result.
At least the train to Rennes was only partially full, enabling us to grab a couple of spare seats for our luggage. We then sat in fear that additional people would board the train and demand those two seats. Fortunately that did not happen and we made it to Rennes without incident.
With only a few minutes to catch the next train, we performed the "suitcase two step" between the platforms, arriving exhausted at the Nantes train. In the process I think I also managed to do more damage to my back and knee. This really is the not so glamorous part of travel.
Although the Nantes train was more densely populated, we somehow managed to find a tiny piece of space for our luggage and sat down to enjoy the wonderful scenery outside. An hour later we were getting off the train at Nantes. Ity almost felt like being back home again as the place was familiar. It was also significantly warmer than it had been in St Malo, so we were soon discarding our coats.
After checking into our hotel we wandered back into the streets of the centreville. One shop caught our attention. It was an optical shop with a slogan "10 Euros in 10 Minutes". And yes, it is true. They can make you a pair of glasses for 10 Euro in 10 minutes. Everything is highly automated and done in front of your eyes. You don't even need an appointment OR a prescription as they can do a high tech eye test on the spot. It seemed an incredible concept and we would have gone inside and given it a try if it had not been a Sunday and if they had not been closed. I could do with a spare pair of 10 Euro glasses.
Tomorrow we will be colelcting our hire car from the depot and then heading further south to the Dordogne region.Читать далее
A Day in Dinard
5 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Reached by a 10 minute ferry trip across the Rance River from St Malo, there lies the interesting township of Dinard. Apart from the impressive collection of subdtantial "old money" homes, the other dominating feature of Dinard is the large Casino.
Since we had no other definite plans for the day, five of us decided that it would be good to get a little sea air and take the short cruise to DInard. Another advantage of taking this short trip is that it also provides another vantage point to view the old city of St Malo.
When we arrived at the ferry terminal we noticed that two massive passenger liners had moored in the harbour. A steady relay of transfer boats were busy transferring people from the ships to St Malo. Gerry took one look at these multistory people transports and asked "Why would anyone ever want to get on one of those ?" Since I could not think of any rational answer to his question, I replied "Damned if I know".
Soon we had crossed the Rance and were walking along the waterfront walkway to the town centre. Since we had arrived at lunchtime, it was time to buy a baguette and coffee. Maggie recalled that the last time we visited this place her lunch had been stolen by an aggressive seagull. Not only did it pinch her raspberry tart, but it also managed to empty its copious bowels on us at the same time. It was not a happy memory.
Fortunately this time no avian attack took place and we were able to eat our lunches without incident. It was then that the ladies discovered that it was market day in Dinard. That discovery was akin to pouring petrol on a bushfire. Within seconds they had disappeared our of sight, leaving me to snooze in the warm sunshine.
Sometime later in the afternoon they reappeared, laden with fresh shopping and trying to justify the spending by some sort of lop sided logic about how much money they had saved. Maggie is the only person I know who seems to think that spending money can somehow actually save money that she can then spend on something else. Yes it makes no sense whatsoever, but she believes it like a fundamental law of the universe.
It was near 3 pm when we realised that the return ferry must be about to leave. Since we did not want to get stuck in Dinard, we fastwalked to the port and just managed to clamber on board as the ferry was leaving, The timing was perfect.
Another ten minute trip took us back to St Malo and a long walk took us back to the Beaufort Hotel. The tides had repeated their daily performance and the locals were back during their aquatic workouts.
At the end of the day the "St Malo six" went out together for our final dinner together. Tomorrow morning we will all be heading in different directions. Maggie and I will be heading back to the Loire to revisit Nantes and to collect our rental car.Читать далее
Watching the Tides
4 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ 🌧 16 °C
It's a strange feeling walkin on sand, knowing that in a few hours time, it will be 10 metres under the sea. But such is life in magical St Malo. Life in this city is intimately connected to the daily cycle of the rising and falling of the tremendous tides. Just watching the process is a truly hypnotic experience.
As we left our hotel this morning the tides were at their highest. Although it is now a couple of days past the monthly maximum, the variation between high and low water levels is truly extreme.
As the waves crashed into the sea wall there were loud thumping noises as the reflecting waves collided with those coming in. Regular sprays of foam were thrown high into the air. Crowds of people had gathered, just to watch the waves.
Later in the day the sea had retreated many hundreds of metres, revealing a vast expanse of clean sand. This sand becomes a daily playground for a diverse range of activities. Dozens of wind surfers were also making use of the stiff breeze to race back and forth on the water. At the same time, the late afternoon sun was making a bashful appearance from between the clouds to cast an eery light on the Citadel. It really was quite a spectacle.
In two day's time we will be leaving St Malo and heading back to Nantes to collect a hire car. From there we will be spending a few day's exploring the Dordogne Region. It has been a remarkable trip but our thoughts are starting to turn back to those waiting for us in Australia.Читать далее
The St Malo Citadel
3 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Apart from watching the never ending performance of the rising and falling of the huge tides, the other major attractions of St Malo are walking the huge sea wall and exploring the so called "old city". With such monumental tides and damaging waves to defend against, the city requires a very serious barrier to prevent their buildings being destroyed by the marine onslaught.
The major part of these defenses is a gigantic stone wall that has been erected along the Atlantic coastline. Not only does this wall provide a primary defence against the huge waves, but it also gives the people of St Malo a perfect place to walk, jog, cycle, roller skate or walk the dog. At any time of the day you will find a continuous passing parade of people and dogs moving past.
The old city (aka "The Citadel" is an impressive walled city that was home to a German garrison in WW2. The commander of the garrison refused to surrender and this resulted in nearly all of the original structure being destroyed by allied shelling and bombing. It was a complete waste of a priceless historic relic. An intensive 12 years rebuilding plan from 1948 to 1960 resulted in the construction of the current reproduction of the original city.
On our first free day in St Malo we had no ambitious plans, apart from walking to the city and then wandering the full length of the sea wall. So that's exactly what we did. We even got to see a couple of dolphins cavorting near the water's edge. It was a perfect day and an ideal way to relax after our long days on the bike.Читать далее
Hello St Malo
2 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
It is a great feeling to complete something that has been anticipated for such a long time. It is an even greater feeling when you have been able to share the experience with a group of like minded people. Unless you have actually done something like this, it is very difficult to convey exactly what it is like.
After being through so much together, the members of the group really do begin to feel like some sort of extended family. That always makes it somewhat difficult when the ride eventually finishes and the time for farewells starts.
Although the "official" trip finished this morning after breakfast,, the final time the whole group was together was at dinner last night. Several had to leave early this morning to catch trains to various other places. By the time we sat down for breakfast, we knew that our group was already beginning the process of breaking up. We will surely miss the fun and camaraderie that was an integral part of every day of the past 5 weeks.
For six of us, the adventure will continue a little longer as we make our way north to St Malo. This is a wonderful coastal city in Brittany that we fell in love with several years ago. We have been back many times since then and never fail to be mesmerised by the place.
St Malo has a rich history, being home to numerous privateers (state pirates) from the 16th to 19th centuries. It was also the site of a very important German naval base in WW2. When the German commander refused to surrender at any cost, it meant that the original old city was almost completely destroyed in the allied bombardment. It was then rapidly reconstructed in the 1950s. At first glance the city still looks medieval, however on close inspection, you can see that it is a brilliant reconstruction of what was originally here.
There is another natural phenomenon that makes this place special - the super tides. The coastline in this region is home to some of the most extreme tidal variations on the planet. In fact the variation between high and low tides can regularly exceed 10 metres. In order to protect the city of these huge tides a massive stone sea wall has been constructed. Even with the impressive wall, at times of the king tides, the huge waves can go over the wall and crash into the waterfront buildings. At such times huge crowds gather to watch the spectacle.
We had all had a marvellous time in Le Croisic, so much so that several of the group started to dream about how good it would be to retire there. But now the time had come for us to leave. Along with Maggie and me, there would be 4 others travelling with us to St Malo. This included Gerry and Gael and also Annie and Kay.
The trip to St Malo meant that we would have to take three train trips. First we had to travel to Nantes, then take a second train to Rennes, and finally a third train to St Malo. Such trips can be much more exhausting than cycling, especially when you have to rapidly drag your luggage up and down numerous staircases in a very limited amount of time. It is at times like this that everyone decides that their luggage is too heavy, but no one ever remembers that when the time comes for their next trip.
Somehow we all managed to survive the trains and we finally arrived at the Gare St Malo at 6.30 pm. Of course we still had a very lengthy walk to the Hotel Beaufort. It must be quite a comical sight seeing six old people dragging their suitcases over cobblestoned steets, vainly trying to dodge the dog poo and avoid snapping the castors off their bags each time they bounced over a curb.
Eventually six exhausted seniors arrived at the hotel. For us it felt like we were back home. The hotel is situated right on the ocean front and the views are priceless. The manager explained to us that we had arrived right at the time of the "very dangerous king tide" that would arrive in just two hour's time. In order to help protect the hotel they proceeded to fasten wooden shutters and armoured glass panels to the seaward facing windows. I had always wanted to witness the king tides, but had not realised that it was due on the very night of our arrival.
Although the tide rose right on time at 10.38 pm, the sea was quite peaceful. No waves came crashing through our first floor windows. I was just slightly disappointed.Читать далее
Final Rest Day in Le Croisic
1 октября 2019 г., Франция ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
After the continual frenetic activity of the previous few weeks it was a relief to finally know that there would be no riding today. There would also be no need for packing, moving bags, finding hotels, etc. In fact we had lots of time and very little to do with it. It was heaven.
The breakfast room of our hotel was actually across the the road in the waterfront restaurant where we had dined the night before. You could not imagine a more spectacular place to enjoy your morning baguettes and orange juice. The building is situated right on the edge of the Atlantic and has panoramic windows on the ocean side that offer continually mesmerising view of the ever changing waves crashing outside. It was the sort of place you could spend hours, just watching the ocean.
Of course, there was one essential task that had to be done. Our bags were bursting with laundry that urgently needed the services of a washing machine. We already knew that there was a coin laundry, only about 1 km away from the hotel. So that's where we headed. The next hour was spent watching the clothes do round and round in the washing machine, then in the dryer. It was nowhere near as exciting as watching the waves, but it was a soothing feeling to know that you would finally have clean clothes once again.
One incredible feature of this part of the world is the huge tidal range. At low tide the water recedes so far away that you can no longer see it. At the fishing port all the moored boats are left sitting on the sand. It is quite a sight to behold, especially when the tide turns and the water starts russhing back in again. Over the space of 20 minutes I sat and watch the entire scene change before my eyes. Boats that were stuck firm are lifted from the sand and start bobbing away in the water.
Le Croisic is very clearly a holiday location and, at this time of the year, most of the houses are already locked and shuttered for the winter. It does seem like quite a waste seeing so many magnificent homes being left empty for so many months at a time.
In the evening we met for the final group dinner of the ride. We had been booked into L"Estacade Restaurant. This is a Michelin restaurant that is rated number 1 out of about 50 in Le Croisic. We discovered that this rating was richly deserved. The food and service was simply superb. It was a magnificent way to end an incredible trip.
After dinner we had a lengthy walk back to the hotel, but the evening was mild and the wind had dropped. It was a magical feeling, walking back through the narrow streets, lit by subdued sepia lighting. I suspect we were probably all a bit noisier than we should have been, but it really didn't matter much since the place was almost deserted.
In the morning our group will disperse to places all over Europe. What an unforgettable time we have shared together.Читать далее
Путешественникwell done everyone... Steve and i have loved following your journey. Hope the knee is ok Dennis. Now to go shopping for your new Garmin. Enjoy
Создайте ваш личный профиль
Бесплатно
